Shipping a Windshield Frame

[F-junker]

I need to ship a windshield frame from Maryland to California and need some advice.
The only place that I can find close to me is FED EX and they want around 130 bucks with insurance on it!!
I don't want this guy to have to pay that much but I'm running all around the place and still have to pack it up and take it back to FED EX.

Any thoughts on this. I can't afford to take anymore time off work to deal with this damn thing.

By the way, it was an Evil-bay deal. It is a very nice older windshield frame (wipers at the top) with the wiper arms and all. No rust through but the tabs at the top corners may have been removed. It looks like the original paint.
It sold for $120.00, I hate to think its going to cost him close to $300 bucks after it is all said and done.

 

[my64fj40]

It's pretty cool that you're thinking about the buyer most sellers on eBay don't, but you got a do what you got a do.


my64fj40

 

[F-junker]

I'm sure that he is going to feel differently when you reads my email explaining the cost to ship that damn thing.

I hope the frame is worth that much but I don't have a clue.

 

[dustin]

I dont have any real good advice. If you can get rid of the glass, it'll be cheaper.

I can say that I have been there too many times, and now wont ship big items anymore. Unless you work in a wearhouse, its way too much trouble to aquire the materials for and make special packaging to ship heavy car parts. I sold some cool tinted sliding windows for the 40 hardtop once. UPS wanted me to drop them from 2.5 feet in the air twice to see if my packaging would break before shipping them. WTF is that all about?
Kinkos FedEx finally did it for alot cheaper and no hassle. But man- packaging them up sucked super bad. Cost me alot of time, miles on the car UPS was about 20 miles away, and I had to go there twice) and effort to get that package out... It cost about $40 to ship from San Francisco to East Coast.

good luck-
Dustin

 

[F-junker]

Is 45 bucks too much to ask for my time, packing, travel, leaving work early??
I'm kicking myself in the ass over this damn thing

 

[rhino73]

I shipped one from SD to southern california and it cost about $125 to ship with USPS. They got into all kinds of oversize fees with the packaging and all and i took a bath on the deal as well. I wont ship the big stuff anymore either. Anyway if i remember correctly USPS was the cheapest I could find since you can send it freight (May take 2-4 weeks for delivery). I would charge the 45 for the trouble. I wish i would have.

Good Luck!

 

[dgangle]

Cheapest way to ship is to build a box and deliver it to a freight terminal of your choice. Pick a good class code like 50 IIRC (general machine parts) or 68?? (general auto parts) and have him pick it up at his local terminal as well. Fa wk the insurance. I have had good expriences with Gator/R&L and Old Dominion. Avoid Roadway or whatever they are called this week. They are real proud of their service.

 

[ducktapeguy]

So far DHL is the cheapest shipping option I've found for large items, sometimes almost 1/2 the price of UPS. FedEx is somewhere in between. Maybe get a quote from them?

 

[F-junker]

I feel stuck on this deal... I'm ticked off I ever listed that stupid thing. More trouble than it's worth.
I emailed the guy that the cost to ship would be about 130 bucks and I'd charge him 45 dollars for my trouble, I felt crappy about the whole deal. I saw today there was a guy in MN selling a 77 frame (for 30 bucks flat rate shipping) that looks pretty good and told the buyer in CA if he wanted to bale I was ok with that. WTF I guess I can always keep it for a roll over!!

Trying to keep a clear mind is a PITA!

 

[wesintl]

I sent one to john pardi almost 6 or 8 years ago. No glass. I put it in a bike box and sent it from va to ca. Sent it fed ex and it was ~$30

Edit: actually I think it was UPS, not fed-ex... They were closer to me at that time.

 

[65swb45]

I've sent a few windshield frames across country, and I think the most expensive UPS call tag one was only $68 door to door. They're MORONS when it comes to handling stuff tho. Really have to idiot-proof your packaging.

I've also tried shipping a few OS parcels thru Greyhound in the last year or so. They will take a full size ConFerr roofrack for $69, and most of the smaller stuff for less than $50.

Good luck

Mark

 

[pardion]

I sent one to john pardi almost 6 or 8 years ago. No glass. I put it in a bike box and sent it from va to ca. Sent it fed ex and it was ~$30

And I got it in good cond.Thanks, If I were to send one I would cut two pieces of 1/4" or 3/8" Plywood about 1" larger than the outside frame dimensions. shrink wrap the w/s frame to the plywoodand ship it, UPS the windshield frame should not get damaged. Good luck, John Pardi

 

[Doug_S]

I've used UPS and they do seem to do fine. Like Mark mentioned, they are morons, so don't take for granted the packing job. One thing that you can do is to take the ws frame to a UPS Store and have them package it so that if it's damaged in shipping or lack of adequate packing, they are responsible. I plan on doing this if anyone will ever buy the extra hood and doors that I have.

Good luck!

 

[dgangle]

Have you ever seen what those strip mall UPS stores charge? Sure it's easy to get them to do it but you are sure paying for the privilege. Plus they virtually double what it costs to ship and insure versus what you pay if you take your stuff directly to the local UPS terminal. Convenience costs, but is easier to digest when you are not paying for it.

If you don;t want to drive all over town do all the paperwork online trough UPS.com, pay by credit card and drop it off in the strip mall store. Or schedule a pick up for a few dollars more.

 

[Gumby]

$45 for your time to ship it? Do you work for SOR? Your time is being paid for in the money you made on the part.

I guess I'm way too nice of a guy. I take those things as a learning experience and don't do it again. Eating some time is nothing like I paid for my formal education. It's cheap education.

I have an extra w/s frame too. A nice one. I can't sell it for enough to make it worth my time. Hard top sides and soft top doors too. I got 'em from a guy who was selling off his inventory on eBay and learned he couldn't sell them for enough to make it worth the hassle so he gave them to me.


Just my opinion. Nothing personal.


I second the bike box. Nice size and easy to obtain.

The UPS store merchants are different. Some are terrible, some aren't so bad.

 

[F-junker]

the buyer backed out. I'm just going to keep the damn thing.

Too bad I don't work for $OR, buy hey I make 30 bucks an hour, (I had to take off the afternoon) when I have to drive around all afternoon to find out who will and will not ship this thing, I think my time and gas is worth something.

Anybody on NE coast want this thing? 150 bucks it's yours